Garment



Oct. 3, 1950 I 2,524,609

a. E. sTlLE's GARMENT Filed June 28, 1947 heets-Sheet z INVENTOR. Gar:[Ali/v 37/155 Jrra/P/VEY Patented Oct. 3 1950 UNITED STATES PA TEN '1'OFFICE GARMENT Grace Ellen Stiles, Staten Island, N. Application June28, 1947,.SerialxNo. 757,801

4 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to adjustable ladies garments, and relates moreparticularly to an improved garment, either of the skirted or bifurcatedtype, having means for enlarging its circumferential proportions andhaving particular usefulness as amaternity garment.

An important object of the invention. is to. provide a novel lowergarment, i. e., skirt, shorts, slacks, or the like, which is arranged tobe enlarged around the waist and abdomen-encircling portions as theneeds of the wearer require, and to accomplish such progressiveenlargement without distorting the garment in its relation to thewearer. A garment embodying the present invention is comfortable to thewearer at all times, whether the person is sitting or standing, it hassuperior fitting qualities, and eliminates the need for complicatedfastener elements.

In accordance with the present invention, a arment such as a skirt isconstructed from blanks forming front and rear skirt panels joinedtogether along opposed edges to form side. seams. The front panel isformed with two inwardlyfacing vertical pleats which are generallyparallel and are substantially equi-distant from the front median lineof the garment. Commencing at its upper end, the outer fold line of eachpleat is free, but starting at a point adjacent the crotch of the wearersuch outer fold line is stitched to the underlying panel section. Thisstitch line may continue to the lower edge of the garment, or it maystop short of such edge.

The front panel is cut downwardly from its upper edge along a. linegenerally in alignment with the inner fold of each pleat to a pointadjacent the upper terminal of the stitch line. Attached to the uppercentral section defined by such cuts are wing portions which may havetie straps arranged to be tied around the back of the wearer more orless snugly. Tie straps or belts are secured to the upper edges of theadjoining sections formed by such cuts, and are arranged to be securedat the front of the wearer. As the person increases in girth theapron-like element may be progressively let out, and more: of theapron-like element is thus exposed. The lower ends of the cuts form, ineffect, hinge points around which the side sections of the front panelmay revolve as this progressive enlargement continues. Means are alsoprovided for securing the portions of the front panel which overlie theapron-like element at the front of the wearer.

The invention may likewise be embodied in slacks or shorts, and in eachinstance the garment has superior fitting qualities regardless of itscircumferential adjustment.

In. the drawings:

Fig. 1 is; a. front elevation of a garment embodying the. presentinvention in place upon the wearer.

Fig. 2. is a broken perspective view showing the upper section of. suchgarment.

Fig, 3' is a. broken perspective view showing the rear section1 of suchgarment.

Fig. 4: is. a broken perspective view showing the overlapping sidearrangement-.

Fig. 5 is a plan-view of the blank used inform-- ing; each wing-likemember.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation. of a pair of slacks embodying theinvention.

Fig; '1 is a plan view of each rear skirt blankand. Fig. 8 is. a planview of. one-half of the front skirt blank, the blank shown being foldedalong central front foldline IS.

A garment of the present inventionembodied the form of a skirt asdistinguished from a. divided garment. is formed from a front skirtblank H), a rear skirt. blank H, andblanks I2 forminglaterally-extending wings.

Blank It includes a slightly-curved lower edge [3, vertical edges Htwhich are curved at their upper ends, and an upper edge l5 which may besubstantially straight. In forming this blank the material is firstfolded along line l6 which coin cides with the front median line of thegarment, and the double thickness of material is then out along linesl3, l4, and I 5. The two layers'are further cut downwardly from upperedge l5, forming edges 28 and 2| which terminate at their lower ends atpoint 22.

Rear skirt blank H is similarly folded along line 23 located generallyat the rear vertical median line of the garment, and comprises a curvedlower edge 24, vertical edges 25 having a contour correspondinggenerally to edges M in blank H1, and an upper edge 26 which is somewhatcon-- cavely curved.

Each blank l2 comprises a vertical edge 30, an upper edge 3| generallyatright angles thereto and of substantially the same length, and aconvexly-curved third edge 32.

In assembling the garment, a vertical pleat is first made on each sideof the front skirt section. This is accomplished by folding each side ofthe blank along broken line 33 and stitching a portion of such edge tothe underlying section of the panel along line 34 to form stitch line 35which terminates at its upper end at point 36. This point 36. is atsubstantially the same height as point 2.2 and the stitch lint continuesdownwardly to a point spaced from the lower edge of thegarment, althoughit may continue to such.

lower edge, if desired. Thus, fold line 33, which is the outside fold ofthe pleat, is free above and below stitch line 35. Lines 33 and 34 aresubstantially equi-distant from line 31 forming a downward continuationof cut lines 2l, and such line 3! thus forms the inside fold of thepleat. Wing blank I2 is next stitched along edge to edge 2| to formstitch line 40. To aid the operator in forming stitch line edge 2! isprovided with notches 38 which are aligned with notches 39 on edge 30 ofblank I2 during the stiching. The upper edge 26 of rear skirt blank H iscut downwardly on each side thereof, as shown at 4|, and such edges arestitched together to form dart 42. Next, edge [4 on each side of thefront skirt blank is stitched to edge 25 on each side of the rear skirtblank to form side seams 43.

It will be appreciated that the upper central portion of the front skirtblank lying between edges 2l2l and the laterally-extending wings l2joined to such edges 2|-2I, form an apronlike element 39 having tapes 44which are arranged to be tied at the rear of the wearer to give thisapron-like member a snug fit around the abdomen of the wearer. Otherfunctionally equivalent members may be substituted for tapes 44.Portions 45 of the front skirt panel which overlie the apron-likeelement are secured in place by means of belt members 46 and 41, thelatter having a buckle or other fastening means 48 which are secured tothe free corners 49 of such portions. The wing section at the right handside of Fig. 2 is shown in the position it occupies when the garment isin place on the wearer, i. e., underlying portion 45 of the front skirtpanel. At the left of this figure, however, it is shown as having beenwithdrawn from this underlying position and accordingly, a portion ofbelt member 46 is covered by this wing section, such portion being shownin broken lines.

Fig. 1 shows the position of the garment on a wearer of average figure.Stitch lines 35 are substantially parallel at all times. The freevertical edges 56 of portions 45 which overlay the apron-like element 39are generally parallel, and such edge portions also cover stitch lines4!]. As the wearerincreases in girth the tapes 44 securing theapron-like element are gradually let out;

the edges 50 move, at their upper ends, toward the rear of the garment,portions 45 in effect rotating above points 36. This change of relationof portions 45 with respect to the apron-like element is accomplishedwithout any distortion of the garment, and all parts have a smooth fitupon the wearer.

Fig. 6 shows the invention embodied in a pair of ladies slacks formedwith leg portions and upper edge 56, and front belt members 51 and 5B.The garment may have an opening (not shown) on the side, and theapron-like element is formed in substantially the same way as in thegarment of Figs. 1 to 5. The two inwardly-facing pleats are formed inthe same manner, and their outer fold lines are stitched starting atpoints 5| downwardly along lines 62. Broken lines 53 define the innerfold lines and also correspond to stitch lines 40 for thelaterally-extending wing portions.

While two forms or embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction andarrangement incidental to two specific applications thereofhave beendisclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that theinvention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangementof parts, nor to its specific embodiments shown herein, but thatextensive deviations from the illustrated forms or embodiments of theinvention may be made Without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A garment of the character described formed with front and rearpanels, the front panel being provided with inwardly-facing pleatsspaced from the front median line and extending downwardly from theupper edge thereof, the outer fold line of each pleat being secured tothe underlying portion of the panel commencing at a point below theupper edge of the garment and extending downwardly, the upper section ofthe panel being cut downwardly from the upper edge in a line generallyaligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wingportions secured at opposite sides of the central portion defined bysuch cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged to be secured aroundthe body at the rear of the wearer, means for adjustably securing theopposed free upper terminals of such wing portions together, theportions of the front panel 1ying between the outer fold lines of thepleats and the sides of the garment overlying portions of saidapron-like member and means for securing such front panel portions atthe front of the wearer.

2. A garment of the character described provided with an upper edgewhich is located adjacent the waist line of the wearer and formed fromblanks comprising front and rear panels which are joined together alongopposed edges to form side seams, the front panel being provided withinwardly-facing pleats spaced from the front median line and extendingfrom the upper to the lower edge thereof, the outer fold line of eachpleat being stitched to the underlying portion of the panel commencingat a point adjacent the crotch of the wearer and extending downwardly toa point spaced from the lower edge of the garment, the upper section ofthe panel being cut downwardly from the upper edge in a line generallyaligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wingportions stitched at opposite sides of the central portion defined bysuch cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged to be secured aroundthe body at the rear of the wearer, means for adjustably securing theopposed free upper terminals of such wing portions together, theportions of the front panel lying between the outer fold lines of thepleats and the sides of the garment overlying portions of saidapron-like member and means for securing such front panel portions atthe front of the wearer.

3. A ladies skirt of the character described and formed with front andrear panels, the front panel being provided with inwardly-facing pleatsspaced from the front median line and extending downwardly from theupper leg thereof, the outer fold line of each pleat being secured tothe underlying portion of the panel commencing at a point below theupper edge of the skirt and extending downwardly, the upper section ofthe panel being cutdownwardly from the upper edge in a line generallyaligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wingportions secured at opposite sides of the central portion defined bysuch cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged'to be secured aroundthe body at the rear of the wearer, means comprising tying tapes foradjustably securing the upper free edges of said wing portions at therear of the wearer, the portions of the front panel lying between theouter fold lines of the pleats and the sides of the garment overlyingportions of said apron-like member and means for securing such frontpanel portions at the front of the wearer.

4. A ladies bifurcated garment of the character described and formedfrom blanks comprising front and rear panels which are joined together,the front panel being provided with inwardly-facing pleats spaced fromthe front median line and extending downwardly from the upper edgethereof, the outer fold line of each pleat being stitched to theunderlying portion of the panel commencing at a point adjacent thecrotch of the wearer and extending downwardly, the upper section of thepanel being cut downwardly from the upper edge in a line generallyaligned with the inner fold line of each pleat, blanks forming wingportions stitched at opposite sides of the central portion defined bysuch cuts and forming an apron-like member arranged means for securingsuch front panel portions at the front of the wearer.

GRACE ELLEN STILES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 947,479 Cohn Jan. 25, 19101,104,437 Miles July 21, 1914 2,113,646 Capuano Apr. 12, 1933 2,313,399Smink Mar. 9, 1943 2,335,971 Soholle Dec. 7, 1943

